Self-Investigation into Chinese EFL Learners’ Perceptions and Habits of Online English Dictionary Use
Main Article Content
Abstract
Computer-mediated dictionaries are currently a widespread method and a prominent
subfield in meta-lexicography in the digital era. Numerous studies have focused on the link
between language learning and dictionary usage. Additionally, there is a persistent and growing
tendency among EFL learners toward frequently using online and electronic dictionaries rather
than hardcopy printed ones. The present article conducted a critical examination of Chinese
EFL learners' alternatives to and practices for using online English dictionaries. The researcher
drew a convenience sample of 84 Chinese International College students. Additionally, the
lexical competency of all participants was examined. This research further examined the
association between Chinese learners' English vocabulary competence levels and their choices
for online English dictionaries. A questionnaire was provided to elicit information on students'
habits and perceptions regarding the use of online English dictionaries. The findings of this
survey revealed that learners' favorite and most frequently used online English dictionaries
varied per student. The shortcomings of online English dictionary usage were discovered
alongside various research limitations being raised for further debate.
Article Details
References
Ahangari, S., & Abbasi Dogolsara, S. (2015). Comparing the effect of using monolingual versus bilingual dictionary on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ vocabulary learning. English Language Teaching, 8(6). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v8n6p141
Alsalem, R. (2019). The effects of the use of Google translate on translation students’ learning outcomes. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.348377
Ambarwati, R., & Mandasari, B. (2020). The influence of online Cambridge dictionary toward students’ pronunciation and vocabulary mastery. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 1(2), 50-55. https://doi.org/10.33365/jeltl.v1i2.605
Bestelmeyer, P. E. (2018). Linguistic ‘First Impressions’Accents as a Cue to Person Perception.The Oxford Handbook of Voice Perception, 666-682. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198743187.013.30
Chen, L., Wang, Y., & Rodway, C. (2021). Social strategy use in online Chinese learning. Computer Assisted Language Learning,1- 28. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2021.1880442
Chen, M., Huang, S., Chang, J., & Liou, H. (2015). Developing a corpus-based para phrase tool to improve EFL learners’ writing skills. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 28(1), 22-40. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2013.783873
Chen, Y. (2012). Bilingualized dictionaries with special reference to the Chinese EFL context. Lexikos, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.5788/22-1- 1001
Chompurach, W. (2021). “Please let me use Google translate”: Thai EFL students’ behavior and attitudes toward Google translate use in English writing. English Language Teaching, 14(12), 23. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v14n12p23
Chon, Y., V., & Shin, D. (2020). Direct writing, translated writing, and machine-translated writing: A text level analysis with Coh-Metrix. English Teaching, 75(1), 25-48. https://doi.org/10.15858/engtea.75.1.202003.25
Dashtestani, R. (2013). EFL teachers’ and students’ perspectives on the use of electronic dictionaries for learning English. CALL-EJ, 14(2), 51-65. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256839251_EFL_teachers'_and_students'_perspectives_on_the_use_of_electronic_dictionaries_for_learning_English
D’Astoli, P. (2016). The importance of learning foreign languages in today’s world. Worawa College Advisory Committee. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/importance-learning-foreign-languages-todays-world-paul-d- astoli
Davoudi, M. R. (2016). The Influence of Electronic Dictionaries on Vocabulary KnowledgeExtension. Journal of Education and Learning, 5( 3) , 139-148.https://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/jel/article/view/58228
El-Sayed, N. A.-A., & Siddiek, A. G. (2014, May). Exploring the English Language Teachers’ Attitudes Towards the Use of Pedagogical Dictionaries in their Classes. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature.http://www.journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJALEL/article/viewFile/1071/1001
Gestantil, R., A., Nimasari, E., P., & Mufanti, R. (2019). Re-overviewing Google translate results and implications in language learning. The Asian EFL Journal, 23(3.2), 5-15. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/334694765_Re-overviewing_Google_Translate_Results_and_Its_Implication_in_Language_Learning
Gillham, B. (2000). Case Study Research Methods. Bloomsbury Publishing.
Gotti, M. (2014). Linguistic features of legal texts: Translation issues. Statute Law Review, 37(2), 144-155. https://doi.org/10.1093/slr/hmu027
Groves, M., & Mundt, K. (2015). Friend or foe? Google Translate in language for academic purposes. English for Specific Purposes, 37, 112-121. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S088949061400060X
Hafsha, A. (2020). Identifying ESL Learners’ Use of Multiple Resources in Vocabulary Learning. https://doi.org/10.31237/osf.io/rk57c
Hakim, M. A., Abidin, M. J., & Bahari, A. I. (2018). Dictionary use to increase students’ vocabulary mastery: Electronic dictionary or printed one? [Proceedings of the 1st Bandung English Language Teaching International Conference]. https://doi.org/10.5220/0008215001500159
Healy, H. (2018). Dictionary Use. The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching, 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0810
Hua, T. K., & Zarei, N. (2013). The Role of Meaning Access Devices in Dictionary Use. Social Sciences & Humanities 21, 145-152. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281791775_The_Role_of_Meaning_Access_Devices_in_Dictionary_Use
Huang, S., & Eslami, Z. (2013). The use of dictionary and contextual guessing strategies for vocabulary learning by advanced English-language learners. English Language and Literature Studies, 3(3). https://doi.org/10.5539/ells.v3n3p1
Husaini, R. (2020). Student’s response in online learning process: A case study of English education students. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 2(1), 16-22. https://doi.org/10.18860/jetle.v2i1.10127
Journal, A. W., & Aloraini, N. (2018). Investigating Instagram as an EFL Learning Tool. https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/e3jdm
Lee, S., M. (2020). The impact of using machine translation on EFL students’ writing. Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning, 3(3), 157-175. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2018.1553186
Lew, R. (2015). Research into the use of online dictionaries. International Journal of Lexicography, 28(2), 232-253. https://doi.org/10.1093/ijl/ecv010
Lew, R. (2016). Dictionaries for learners of English. Language Teaching, 49(2), 291–294. http://doi.org/10.1017/S026144481500049X
Li, L., & Xu, H. (2015). Using an online dictionary for identifying the meanings of verb phrases by Chinese EFL learners. Lexikos, 25. https://doi.org/10.5788/25-1- 1295
Medvedev, G. (2016). Google Translate in teaching English. The Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic purposes, 4(1), 181-193. http://espeap.junis.ni.ac.rs/index.php/espeap/article/view/318
Milić, M., Glušac, T., Kardoš, A. (2018). The effectiveness of dictionary-aided teaching standardization of English-based sports terms in Serbian. Lexikos, 28, 1–25. http://doi.org/10.5788/28-1- 14.65
Miyazaki, K. (2019). The effect of an online vocabulary learning tool on passive and active vocabulary use at a range of proficiency levels. Journal of Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics, 23(1), 85-108. https://doi.org/10.25256/paal.23.2.5
Mohamad, M., Rashid, N., & Mohamad, W. (2017). The Advantages and Disadvantages of E-Dictionaries to Enhance Vocabulary Learning of ESL Learners. [The Asian Conference on Education & International Development 2017]. https://papers.iafor.org/submission34731/#:~:text=The%20main%20advantages%20are%20ease,disadvantages%20is%20lack%20of%20credibility.
Nauman Al Amin Ali El Sayed, A. G. (2013). Effective Look-up Techniques to Approach a Monolingual Dictionary. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature.2(4)218-227.http://www.journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJALEL/article/view/1000
Nesi, H. (2014). Dictionary use by English language learners. Language Teaching, 47(1), 38–55. http://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444813000402
Norri, J. (2016). Dictionary of Medical Vocabulary in English, 1375–1550. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315577081
Raza, M., A., & Nor, F., M. (2018). Google translate in EFL classroom. International Journal of Translation, 30(1). 9-21. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332170359_Google_Translate_in_an_EFL_Classroom
Rezaei, M., & Davoudi, M. (2016). The influence of electronic dictionaries on vocabulary knowledge extension. Journal of Education and Learning, 5(3), 139. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v5n3p139
Sharma, M. (2020). Is the Print Dictionary Losing Meaning?. Hindustan Times. http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/is-the-print-dictionary-losing-meaning/story-EDtrzjZvjHIzo7QLpL54XK.html
Shaw, N. (2020). New Lockdown Words Added to Dictionary Include Crafternoon and Oobleck. WalesOnline.http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/new-lockdown-words-added-dictionary-18945162
Shojaei, A., & Motallebzadeh, K. (2016). Book review: English language learning and technology. Turkish Online Journal of English Language Teaching, 1(1), 41-43. https://doi.org/10.32959/tojelt.229309
Takkaç Tulgar, A. (2017). Dictionary use of undergraduate students in foreign language departments in Turkey at present. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(12B), 51-57. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2017.051406
Töpel, A. (2014). Review of Research into the Use of Electronic Dictionaries. In Müller-Spitzer, C. (Ed.), Using Online Dictionaries (pp. 13–15). Walter de Gruyter. http://doi.org/10.1515/9783110341287.13
Tsai, S. (2020). Chinese students’ perceptions of using Google translate as a translingual CALL tool in EFL writing. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 1-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1799412
Vocabulary tests | School of linguistics and applied language studies | Victoria University of Wellington. (n.d.). Victoria University of Wellington. https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/lals/resources/paul-nations-resources/vocabulary-tests
Veliz, L. (2017). Enhancing ESL learners’ vocabulary learning of metaphorically-used words. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 8(5), 835. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.0805.01
Wu, Y., Schuster, M., Chen, Z., Quoc, V., L., & Norouzi, M. (2016). Google’s neural machine translation system: Bridging the gap between human and machine translation. Computation and language. https://arxiv.org/pdf/1609.08144.pdf
Yükselir, C. (2016). “English Foreign Language (EFL) Instructors’ and Teachers’ Perceptions towards the Integration of Internet Assisted Language Teaching (IALT) into EFL Instruction. Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science, 9(1).23-30. https://doi:10.7160/eriesj. 2016.090104